Title: FY 2003 Competitive Discretionary Grant Program Solicitations and Application Guidelines Series: Grant Application Author: Office for Victims of Crime Published: June 2003 Subject: funding resources, victim rights and services, police training, elderly victims, Native Americans 41 pages 98,304 bytes ---------------------------- Graphics are not included in this ASCII plain-text file. To view this document in its entirety, download the Adobe Acrobat graphic file available from this Web site. ---------------------------- U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Office for Victims of Crime Office for Victims of Crime FY 2003 Competitive Discretionary Grant Program Solicitations and Application Guidelines ---------------------------- Contents Foreword Section I. Program Solicitation Announcements o Indicators of Elder Abuse: Training Curriculum for Probation and Parole Officers o Database of Federal, State, and Tribal Crime Victims' Rights Laws o Judicial Training o State Victim Assistance Academy Initiative o Basic Victim Advocacy Web-Based Training Course o National Youth Education Project Section II. Application Guidelines and Instructions o How To Apply o Application Review Checklist o Quick Start Guide to Using OJP's Online Grants Management System o Application Requirements o Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) o Assurances and Certifications o Budget Detail Worksheet (Attachment #1) o Program Narrative (Attachment #2) o Project Abstract o Problem Statement o Project Goals and Objectives o Project Design/Implementation Plan. o Organizational Capability and Project Management o Plans for Measuring Progress and Outcomes o Other Program Attachments (Attachment #3) o Selection Procedure o Selection Criteria o Reporting Requirements o Grants Versus Cooperative Agreements ---------------------------- FOREWORD Beginning in Fiscal Year 2003, the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) is requiring that all discretionary and formula grant applications be submitted electronically through the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) Grants Management System (GMS). As a result, OVC is posting its program plan and solicitations online only at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc. OVC will not publish a hard copy program plan or application kit. OVC's FY 2003 Competitive Discretionary Grant Program Solicitations and Application Guidelines announces six competitive solicitations. Applications for all six solicitations must be submitted to GMS by 8 p.m. EST on July 9, 2003. GMS can be accessed at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/fundopps.htm. The GMS registration deadline for these solicitations is 8 p.m. EST on July 1, 2003. OVC will issue or has issued separate solicitations for grants and contracts for the following new and continuation competitive programs: Ninth National Indian Nations Conference, the Tribal Victim Assistance Discretionary Grant Program, the Children's Justice Act Partnerships for Indian Communities, the Fourth National Symposium on Victims of Federal Crime, the American Indian/Alaska Native Victim Assistance Academy, Contractor for Claims Processing for the International Terrorism Victim Compensation Program, Translation and Interpretation Services, Training and Technical Assistance for Children's Justice Act Partnerships for Indian Communities, and Process Evaluation of Tribal Victim Assistance Discretionary Grant Program. For many projects, OVC has identified multiyear funding. Continuation funding is contingent upon an acceptable level of performance and the availability of funding. GMS offers applicants for federal grants several advantages. The system: (1) expedites and streamlines the receipt, review, and processing of applications; (2) eliminates the need to make duplicate copies of applications; (3) eliminates time delays and costs associated with postal and courier services; (4) provides online access to application status; (5) provides information about funding available from OVC and OJP; (6) permits the applicant to modify an application before submission and to respond to requests from the funding agency for more information after submission; and (7) promotes timely processing of funding and award documents. Plus, "job aids" built into the System help applicants fill in required information. OJP also provides a toll-free number for users needing technical support if a problem arises. OVC created a listserv for organizations considering applying for funding. This listserv will be used to notify members when solicitations are posted on our Web site and will provide further information on changes to GMS. If you would like to add your organization to this Discretionary Grants Listserv for GMS, please forward your name, phone number, and e-mail address to William Sherman, OVC Listserv Administrator, at shermanw@ojp.usdoj.gov. ---------------------------- Section I. Program Solicitation Announcements Indicators of Elder Abuse: Training Curriculum for Probation and Parole Officers (Cooperative Agreement) Award Amount: $200,000 to support the development of a curriculum for probation and parole officers, which consists of an instructor's manual and a participant's manual that have been pilot tested in at least four sites. Award Period: 18 months. Goal: The goal is to provide probation and parole officers with the knowledge and skills to identify and respond to victims of elder abuse. Purpose: The purpose is to increase the awareness of probation and parole officers of abusive behavior by offenders who live with their families and to teach them the appropriate interventions with victims when elder abuse is suspected. OVC will provide funding to support the development of a training curriculum for probation and parole officers on identifying and responding to suspected elder abuse, including pilot testing the curriculum in at least four sites. Background: Even though probation and parole offender supervision strategies are aimed at protecting the public from further victimization, training to help probation and parole officers detect abusive behavior, particularly elder abuse, is virtually nonexistent. Probation and parole officers supervise offenders who return home to live with elderly family members. Offenders who have issues with anger management and finances or who suffer from substance abuse and untreated mental illness may be more likely to victimize family members. As a result, family members may be subjected to financial exploitation; physical, sexual, and emotional abuse; and neglect. Probation and parole officers need special training on how to handle cases of suspected elder abuse. For example, older victims may need to have information repeated because they may suffer from hearing and/or vision loss and literacy deficits. Through home visits, probation and parole officers are ideally situated to recognize elder abuse. Training officers would allow them to identify and respond to victims of financial and physical forms of elder abuse. Program Strategy: OVC will fund the development of a training curriculum for probation and parole officers on indicators of elder abuse. The curriculum will train probation and parole officers to recognize indicators of elder abuse when conducting home visits, to communicate effectively with older people residing with probationers or parolees who are abusive. OVC funding will support the development of a curriculum that incorporates accepted principles of adult learning and curriculum design, includes an instructor's manual and a participant's manual, will be pilot tested in at least four sites across the Nation and revised based on the pilot testing results, and will include, at a minimum, a short-term evaluation of the impact the training had on probation and parole officers' ability to report or take appropriate action on behalf of victims of elder abuse. The project strategy must clearly demonstrate the involvement of subject matter experts in the areas of financial and physical abuse of elders. The project must retain the services of an expert in curriculum analysis, design, development, and evaluation at the beginning of the project. If the curriculum design expert is an employee of the applicant's organization, the application must describe the experience and expertise of the employee in curriculum analysis, design, development, and evaluation. If the services of a curriculum design expert will be contracted, the project strategy must address the qualifications of the curriculum design expert and include a corresponding line item in the proposed project budget sufficient to cover the comprehensive services of the curriculum design expert. Project tasks, at a minimum, should include the following: o Review current literature and existing curricula to identify training materials and resources that can complement or support the development of the proposed curriculum. o Conduct a comprehensive training analysis to develop training objectives and content, ensure the quality and evidence-based foundation of the curriculum, determine the most appropriate methods of training delivery, ensure the learning is transferred to the work setting, and identify evaluation criteria. o Develop a detailed time-task line with steps for program development, implementation, and evaluation and staff responsibility for task implementation. o Develop a curriculum with a participant's manual and an instructor's manual that incorporates accepted adult learning principles and meets generally accepted standards of curriculum design. o Pilot test the curriculum in at least four sites that are diverse geographically and in the work setting of the training participants. o Revise the curriculum based on the results of the pilot testing by the grantee and a peer review conducted by OVC. o Evaluate the training course and demonstrate, at a minimum, the short-term impact on the participants' ability to identify and respond to victims of elder abuse. o Provide a marketing plan the curriculum can use for training at national, regional, and state correctional training conferences. o Produce a short, 1 to 2 page report that OVC can disseminate as an OVC fact sheet on the curriculum and availability of this training to probation and parole officers and related practitioners through OVC's Training and Technical Assistance Center (TTAC). Evaluation: The applicant must include a plan to perform a basic evaluation of the project, incorporating the performance measures identified below and other appropriate performance indicators. The applicant should follow the guidelines provided in the Plans for Measuring Progress and Outcomes section of the Program Narrative (see instructions in Section II of this kit). Performance Measures: To ensure compliance with the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), Public Law 103-62, this solicitation notifies applicants that they are required to collect and report data that measure the results of the programs implemented with this grant. To ensure accountability of this data, for which OJP is responsible, the following performance measures for this project are provided: o The results of a review of current literature and existing curricula on the dynamics of, indicators of, and appropriate responses to suspected elder abuse. o The completion of a detailed training analysis as the first step in curriculum design and development. o The development of a training curriculum consisting of an instructor's manual and a participant's manual. o The delivery of four pilot tests of the developed curriculum. o The revision of the developed curriculum based on pilot training feedback. o The number of professionals (probation and parole officers) trained. The grantee must document the accomplishment of these measures in the semiannual progress reports submitted to OVC. The progress reports must include information on all of the above performance measures. Eligibility Requirements: Applications will be accepted from public agencies, including units of state, local, and tribal governments and colleges and universities, and private, nonprofit organizations, including faith-based organizations. Eligible applicants must demonstrate a general knowledge of victimization issues, specific knowledge of elder abuse issues, specific knowledge of probation and parole officer roles and responsibilities, including existing officer and agency limitations to providing services to crime victims and suspected crime victims; and ways to improve officer responsiveness to victims. Applicants must also demonstrate their organizational capability to successfully complete all phases of this project. Application Due Date: Applications under this solicitation must be submitted to GMS by 8 p.m. EST on July 9, 2003. The GMS registration deadline for this solicitation is 8 p.m. EST on July 1, 2003. Contact Person: David Weiss, 202-616-3573 or e-mail weissd@ojp.usdoj.gov. ------------------------ Database of Federal, State, and Tribal Crime Victims' Rights Laws (Cooperative Agreement) Award Amount: Funding FY 2003: $300,000; Funding FY 2004: $350,000; Funding FY 2005: TBD (Funding in FY 2004 and FY 2005 depends on grantee performance and deposits in the Crime Victims Fund.) Award Period: 12 months. Goal: The goal is to establish a comprehensive online database of federal, state, and tribal crime victims' rights laws. Purpose: The purpose is to create and maintain a comprehensive, continuously updated, and easily accessible online database of all federal, state, and tribal crime victims' rights statutes and codes and relevant case law for use by OVC, OVC grantees, victim service/advocacy organizations, researchers, educational institutions, and criminal justice practitioners. Background: With the passage of the first state bill of rights for crime victims more than two decades ago, an era of change began for victims' rights. Since then, every state has enacted laws that protect victims' rights and 33 states have approved victims' rights amendments to their constitutions. During that period, numerous federal statutes have been enacted to protect the rights of crime victims. In spite of the passage of these laws, victims are still being denied the right to participate fully in the justice system. Court cases have been filed around the country to challenge the abridgement of victims' rights under these state constitutions and statutes. However, before victims' rights can be fully enforced, victims, victim advocates, lawyers representing victims, criminal justice practitioners, and others must know what the relevant statutes and case law are. Program Strategy: This solicitation invites applicants to undertake a 3-year project to establish an easily accessible online database of federal, state, and tribal crime victims' rights statutes, codes, and relevant case law. This mechanism will ensure that victim advocacy and service organizations, criminal justice practitioners, researchers, and others have access to continuously updated and needed information. Access to this information will also aid the efforts of OVC, its grantees, and numerous other victim organizations and criminal justice practitioners to conduct assessments of victims' rights laws, identify gaps in statutory protections, provide a source of data for training, and assist states with identifying model legislation. The database should be accessible at no cost to OVC staff, grantees, victim service/advocacy organizations, researchers, criminal justice practitioners, and educational institutions. When identifying statutes to include in the database, priority should be given to those state and federal statutes that address the following victims' rights: (1) to receive notice of criminal justice proceedings; (2) to be present at criminal justice proceedings; (3) to be heard at criminal justice proceedings; (4) to have a speedy trial; (5) to receive protection; (6) to receive restitution; and (7) to receive victim compensation. In the first year, OVC funding will support the development of a functional requirements document that will define the substantive parameters of the database and serve as the basis for the software development in Year 2. At the outset of the project, the applicant must retain the services of an expert in information technology (IT) who will oversee and guide the development of the functional requirements document and the development of the database software in Year 2. If the IT expert is an employee of the applicant organization, the application must describe the experience and expertise of the employee in the area of information technology and, specifically, software development. If the services of an IT expert will be contracted, the project strategy must address the qualifications of the expert and include a corresponding line item in the proposed project budget sufficient to cover the comprehensive services of the expert. The project must be closely coordinated with OJP's Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO). It is expected that in Year 2, the applicant organization will contract competitively with a software developer to design and develop the database. If the project's IT expert is a contractor, the expert must be independent from any software developer with whom the grantee might contract to develop the database software in Year 2. In the first year, the grantee will accomplish the following tasks: o Establish an expert advisory panel, in close coordination with OVC, to guide the design, development, and implementation of the project. Members must represent federal, state, local, and tribal organizations, agencies, and practitioners. The panel should include, but need not be limited to judges, victim service providers and advocates, law enforcement, prosecutors, private attorneys, victims, and researchers. The advisory panel should be an integral part of the project and have an opportunity to provide substantial input. o Identify the functional requirements of the database, such as information it will include, the various ways information will be searched, and how it will be accessed by the field. o In consultation with OCIO, produce a functional requirements document that will inform the development of the database software and submit it to OVC for approval. o Develop a plan for initial collection of information for the database and for updating the information, and submit it to OVC for review and approval. o Begin the collection of raw data that will be included in the database. Applicants are not expected to provide a detailed strategy or budget for subsequent years of the project in their application, but should outline a projected plan for carrying out the continuation phases of the projects in their application narrative. In the second and third years, the grantee will accomplish the following tasks: o Complete collection of data that will be included in the database. o Competitively select a software developer to design and develop the database, with the approval of OVC and OCIO. If the project's IT expert is a contractor, the expert must be independent from any software developer with whom the grantee might contract to develop the database software in Year 2. o Develop the database software based on the functional requirements document. o Consult with OCIO as the database is developed. Development of the software must follow the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Development Lifecycle. o Formulate an implementation strategy, including a plan for pilot testing the database, and submit it to OVC for review and approval. o Submit the database design to OVC for review and approval by OCIO and OVC. o Pilot test the database to ensure its accessibility and usability, and in consultation with OVC and OCIO, make refinements to the database based on pilot test feedback. Pilot test participants should be a diverse group representing federal, state, local, and tribal organizations, agencies, and practitioners and should include, but need not be limited to victim advocates and service providers, criminal justice practitioners, researchers, legal scholars, and private attorneys. o Submit the final database to OVC before it is activated. The database will be subjected to an external peer review and an internal review by OVC, OCIO, and other relevant DOJ components and the grantee will be expected to make any necessary revisions, in consultation with OVC. o Design a strategy for marketing and promoting the database in the field. o Formulate a detailed plan for sustaining the database after OVC funding ends. o Design a strategy for marketing and promoting the bulletin for wide and meaningful dissemination, in consultation with OVC and the OVC Resource Center. Evaluation: The grantee must design and implement a basic evaluation of the project, incorporating simple, practical performance measures. The plan should be described in the application. The overall evaluation should include feedback from the pilot test participants. The applicant should follow the guidelines provided in the Plans for Measuring Progress and Outcomes section of the Program Narrative (see instructions in Section II of this kit). Performance Measures: To ensure compliance with the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), Public Law 103-62, this solicitation notifies applicants that they are required to collect and report data that measure the results of the programs implemented with this grant. To ensure accountability of this data, for which OJP is responsible, the following performance measures for the first year are provided: o Establishment of advisory committee. o Development of the functional requirements document. o Development of a plan to collect and update information. o Initial data collection. The grantee must document the accomplishment of these measures in the semiannual progress reports submitted to OVC. The progress reports must include information on all of the above performance measures. Eligibility Requirements: Eligible applicants are private, nonprofit organizations and public agencies, including units of state, local, and tribal governments and colleges or universities, that have a knowledge and understanding of victims' rights law. Entities with existing statutory databases are encouraged to apply. Applicants must demonstrate the organizational capability and technological capacity to undertake an initiative that involves the development of a database of a comprehensive collection of victims' rights statutory and case law and the collection and updating of the information to populate the database. Application Due Date: Applications under this solicitation must be submitted to GMS by 8 p.m. EST on July 9, 2003. The GMS registration deadline for this solicitation is 8 p.m. EST on July 1, 2003. Contact Person: Meg Morrow, 202-305-2986 or e-mail meg@ojp.usdoj.gov. ------------------------ Judicial Training (Cooperative Agreement) Award Amount: Funding FY 2003-2004: $500,000; Funding FY 2005: $350,000; Funding FY 2006: $350,000 (Funding in FY 2005 and FY 2006 depends on grantee performance and deposits in the Crime Victims Fund.) Award Period: 24 months (for the first phase of the project). Goal: The goal is to develop and pilot test a curriculum on victimization issues for training judges and court personnel, including probation officers; develop a bench book for judges; and compile a compendium of promising practices. Purpose: The purpose is to provide judges and court personnel with initial and continuing education on the law concerning victims' rights and the impact of crime on victims and their families. The 4-year project also will support the development of a bench book and a compendium of promising practices for use by the judiciary. Background: In the course of carrying out their responsibilities, judges play a critical role in the implementation of victims' rights. Judges have an obligation to ensure that the criminal justice process is fair and impartial. Judges also may be unaware of laws governing victims' rights and the services to which victims are entitled. Moreover, judges sometimes do not understand the impact of crime or the criminal justice process on victims, or the implications of their sentencing decisions for victims. Program Strategy: This solicitation invites applicants to undertake a 4-year (three-phase) project to develop and extensively pilot test a comprehensive training curriculum (that includes instructor and participant guides) on victimization issues for judges and key court personnel, including probation officers. It is expected that in addition to developing and pilot testing the curriculum, the grantee will design a detailed implementation plan for integrating and institutionalizing the training into professional education for the judiciary. The training curriculum will address the judiciary's responsibility to victims and administrative and procedural operations of courts that affect victim participation in criminal and juvenile proceedings, victim restitution, and victim safety. The training curriculum for state and local judges should consist of several modules that, at a minimum, address the following issues: (1) the impact of crime on victims and their families; (2) appropriate roles for victims in the justice process; (3) sentencing orders and victim restitution; (4) the significance to victims of being able to submit victim impact statements; (5) the use of technology to improve services to victims and victims' access to the criminal justice process; (6) understanding victims' rights laws; (7) victim and community safety; and (8) special considerations for certain victim populations, such as victims with disabilities, child victims, older victims, and non-English speaking victims. OVC funding will support the development of a curriculum that incorporates accepted principles of adult learning and curriculum design, includes instructor and participant guides, will be pilot tested in at least six sites across the country and revised based on the pilot testing results, and will include, at a minimum, a short-term evaluation of the impact the training had on the ability of judges and court personnel to recognize and address the needs of victims. The project strategy must clearly demonstrate the involvement of subject matter experts in victimization issues. The project must retain the services of an expert in curriculum analysis, design, development, and evaluation at the beginning of the project. If the curriculum design expert is an employee of the applicant organization, the application must describe the experience and expertise of the employee in the areas of curriculum analysis, design, development, and evaluation. If the services of a curriculum design expert will be contracted, the project strategy must address the qualifications of the curriculum design expert and include a corresponding line item in the proposed project budget sufficient to cover the comprehensive services of the curriculum design expert. Applicants should describe a comprehensive plan for pilot testing the training nationally. Such a plan might involve working with court systems, for example, at the state, county, or local level. Refinements would be made to the curriculum based on the results of the training. Four months before the end of the first award period, the grantee will submit to OVC a final draft of the curriculum. OVC will then conduct an external peer review and an internal review among relevant DOJ components. The grantee will be expected to make revisions to the curriculum based on the external and internal reviews, in consultation with OVC. Funding also will support the development of a bench book for judges on victims' rights law and recommended procedure and a compendium of promising practices in the second and third phases of the grant (FY 2005 and FY 2006). A significant portion of the project in these phases will be to develop a strategy for integrating the training into judicial training and education programs nationally. Additional training sessions should be conducted in conjunction with that strategy. In the first phase of the grant (FY 2003 and FY 2004), the grantee will: o Establish a national advisory group to direct and guide the development of the training curriculum and the other project activities throughout the 4-year project. The advisory committee should be an integral part of the project and have an opportunity to provide substantial input; it is not meant to be merely symbolic. Members should include at a minimum, but need not be limited to judges, victim advocates and service providers, law enforcement, prosecutors, court personnel, and probation officials. o Review current literature and existing curricula to identify training materials and resources that can complement or support the development of the proposed curriculum. o Conduct a comprehensive training analysis to develop training objectives and content, ensure the quality and evidence-based foundation of the curriculum, determine the most appropriate methods of training delivery, ensure the learning is transferred to the work setting, and identify evaluation criteria. o Develop a detailed time-task line with steps for program development, implementation, and evaluation, and staff responsibility for task implementation. o Develop a comprehensive training curriculum, including instructor and participant guides, that incorporates accepted adult learning principles and meets generally accepted standards of curriculum design. o Design a detailed plan for conducting the pilot testing of the training with judges and court personnel in at least six sites throughout the country and submit to OVC for review and approval. The plan should reflect geographic and demographic diversity. o Conduct the pilot trainings in accordance with the designed plan and continue to refine the curriculum based on the training results. Submit the final draft to OVC for the external and internal reviews mentioned above. In consultation with OVC, make final revisions to the training curriculum based on the external and internal reviews and submit to OVC for production. Applicants are not expected to provide a detailed strategy or budget for subsequent years of the project in their application, but should outline a projected plan for carrying out the continuation phases of the projects in their application narrative. In the second and third phases of the grant (FY 2005 and FY 2006), the grantee will: o Evaluate the training course demonstrating, at a minimum, the short-term impact on participants' ability to recognize and address the needs of victims. o Develop a detailed strategy for integrating training on victim issues into judicial training and education programs nationally and institutionalizing the concept of regular training for judges on victim issues. Work with OVC TTAC to implement the strategy for integrating this training into professional education for judges. o Conduct six additional trainings in conjunction with the strategy to integrate the training into continuing judicial education programs. o Develop a bench book on victims' rights law and recommended procedure for judges that will be submitted to OVC 4 months before the end of the second phase of the grant. The bench book will be subjected to an external peer review and an internal review by relevant DOJ components. The grantee will be expected to make any revisions to the bench book based on the reviews, in consultation with OVC. o Conduct an extensive survey and assessment of approaches taken by courts around the country to address the needs of victims and develop a comprehensive compendium of promising practices. Such promising practices may involve a range of efforts and meet various needs of victims, such as services and assistance for victims, use of technology to make the process accessible to victims, protocol and means for victim notification, ensuring restitution, use of victim impact statements, efforts to ensure victim safety, etc. The compendium will be submitted to OVC 6 months before the end of the last phase of the project and will be subjected to an external review by experts and an internal review by relevant DOJ components. The grantee will be expected to make any revisions based on those reviews, in consultation with OVC, and submit it to OVC for production. o Develop detailed strategies for extensive dissemination and promotion of the bench book and compendium that are more involved than simply providing the products to courts around the country. These marketing and distribution strategies should be designed in consultation with OVC and the OVC Resource Center. Evaluation: The grantee must design and implement a basic evaluation of the project, incorporating simple, practical performance measures. The plan should be described in the application. The overall evaluation should include an evaluation of the curriculum by the pilot training participants and a followup mechanism to assess the effectiveness of the training. The applicant should follow the guidelines provided in the Plans for Measuring Progress and Outcomes section of the Program Narrative (see instructions in Section II of this kit). Performance Measures: To ensure compliance with the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), Public Law 103-62, this solicitation notifies applicants that they are required to collect and report data that measure the results of the programs implemented with this grant. To ensure accountability of this data, for which OJP is responsible, the following performance measures for the first phase (FY 2003 and FY 2004 funding years) are provided: o Establishment of advisory committee. o Review of current literature and existing curricula for judges on victimization issues. o Completion of a detailed training analysis as the first step in curriculum design and development. o Development of a training curriculum consisting of instructor and participant guides. o Design of plan to conduct pilot testing. o Delivery of at least six pilot trainings conducted according to plan developed. o Number of professionals (judges and court personnel) trained. The grantee must document the accomplishment of these measures in the semiannual progress reports submitted to OVC. The progress reports must include information on all of the above performance measures. Eligibility Requirements: Eligible applicants must be nonprofit, national-scope, membership or professional organizations or associations representing the judiciary and/or court personnel or their interests or other organizations that can clearly demonstrate credibility with regard to the training of judges and court personnel. Applicants must demonstrate expert knowledge and understanding of victimization issues. Favorable consideration will be given to applications that involve a collaboration between a judicial education organization and an organization with expertise in crime victimization issues. Applicants must also document an understanding of the professional and/or continuing education process for the judiciary. Applicants must have the expertise and standing to develop products or activities with professional credibility that will be accepted and readily integrated into the education requirements or professional standards for judges and court personnel. Applicants also must exhibit the organizational capability to undertake a national-scope project to develop and extensively pilot test a comprehensive curriculum for training judges and court officers on victim issues. Application Due Date: Applications under this solicitation must be submitted to GMS by 8 p.m. EST on July 9, 2003. The GMS registration deadline for this solicitation is 8 p.m. EST on July 1, 2003. Contact Person: Meg Morrow, 202-305-2986 or e-mail meg@ojp.usdoj.gov. ------------------------ State Victim Assistance Academy Initiative (Cooperative Agreement) Award Amount: $140,000 for four planning grants at $35,000 each. Based on grantee performance and the availability of future funds, continuation funding will be available for 2 subsequent years. Second year funding is projected at $100,000 each and third year funding at $60,000 each. A financial and/or in- kind match for 25 percent of the total federal grant each year will be required. OVC will also ensure that technical assistance is made available to grantees to assist in this multiyear effort. Award Period: 12 months with the potential for an additional 24 months. Goal: The goal is to assist states in developing effective strategies for establishing State Victim Assistance Academies (SVAAs). Purpose: The purpose is to support state efforts to provide comprehensive, academically based, fundamental education for victim assistance providers, victim advocates, criminal justice personnel, and allied professionals who routinely deal with victims of crime. Background: The victim assistance movement has grown significantly in the last 25 years and victim assistance programs have become part of the Nation's criminal, tribal, military, and juvenile justice infrastructure. Victim service providers, advocates, and allied professionals with practical experience, training, and education are now working in a variety of settings including district attorneys' offices, correctional institutions, battered women's shelters, and rape crisis centers. There also has been a growing awareness among practitioners of the complex needs of victims and the demand for more coordinated, multidisciplinary responses. A comprehensive, basic-level victim assistance curriculum made available to victim service providers and allied professionals through SVAAs would greatly enhance these professional efforts. Recognizing the need for a national curriculum, OVC funded the development of the first National Victim Assistance Academy (NVAA) in 1995. The academy was coordinated by the Victims' Assistance Legal Organization (VALOR) and a consortium of universities. When NVAA was launched, one of OVC's long-range goals was to encourage a victim assistance course of study in colleges and universities nationwide. In Fiscal Year 1998, Michigan State University submitted a concept paper to OVC to establish an SVAA. With OVC funding, supplemented with university and state Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding, Michigan held the first OVC- sponsored state academy in August 1998. Faculty members from the NVAA provided technical assistance and resource material, and Michigan adapted the NVAA text to help meet the needs of advocates and practitioners in Michigan. The university, in partnership with the Michigan victim assistance community, continue to sponsor an academy annually. OVC selected and funded five more states (Colorado, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Utah) to develop academies in FY 1999. In FY 2002, OVC provided the third and final year of funding to these five states and awarded first year funding to five additional state academies in Arizona, Maine, Maryland, Missouri, and Oregon. This solicitation is intended to encourage similar initiatives in other states with the ultimate goal of establishing a network of state academies capable of meeting the entry-level educational needs of a broad range of victim assistance providers and allied professionals. Program Strategy: This solicitation will support four states in phase one of the establishment of a state academy. The overall 3-year project has several core components: o Formation of a diverse planning/steering committee of victim assistance, criminal justice, and social service professionals to plan the development of the SVAA (Year 1). o University/community planning and implementation of an SVAA with a combination of federal, state, and local funding (Year 1). o Curriculum review, adaptation, and/or design (Years 1 and 2). o Academy presentation and project evaluation (Year 2). o Presentation of a second academy with decreased federal and increased state and local funding (Year 3). o State academy staff availability for technical assistance and mentoring to other state academy grantees through funding provided by OVC TTAC (Year 3). o Independent state funding and continued availability of state academy staff for technical assistance and mentorship to other interested state academy grantees (Year 4 and beyond). In addition to funding, OVC will support the grantees by providing access to the following throughout the course of the grant: o Technical assistance from state and national academy staff through OVC TTAC. o Attendance at the NVAA, where training/mentoring opportunities can be provided on how to conduct academies. o NVAA's text, Instructor's Manual, and logistical materials. o NVAA's Ultimate Educator (train the trainer) course for faculty or state staff who will serve as instructors at state academies. o Informational material available through the OVC Resource Center. o Specialized teaching faculty for the academy provided through OVC TTAC. Since FY 2003 funding is intended to support Year 1 planning activities, this solicitation will focus on describing Year 1 tasks and product requirements. 1. Planning/Steering Committee A major task during phase one is to establish a diverse planning/steering committee to plan and manage the project. As the response to victimization increasingly requires partnerships among multiple providers, the composition of a planning/steering committee should mirror these partnerships. At a minimum, commitments of support for establishing a state academy will be needed from the state VOCA victim compensation and assistance administrators, an accredited college/university, the state attorney general's office, where applicable, and key statewide victim advocacy coalitions and groups. Coordination with the U.S. Attorney's Office is recommended. This broad- based, diverse support is critical to ensuring the success of the project in Year 1 and beyond. 2. State Training Assessment Some states have recognized the diversity of the victim assistance workforce and have established minimum training requirements for the victim assistance providers, while other states have already sponsored educational programs. The steering committee should oversee an assessment of existing state- sponsored educational initiatives and victim assistance training resources. A determination will need to be made regarding how existing training initiatives and resources will combine with or complement an SVAA. 3. Partnership With Academia Establishing a partnership with the academic community is essential and involves several components, including provision of academic credit through an accredited college or university, establishment of a college/university as host site, and use of expert faculty to develop state-specific curricula and oversee the academy. A college/university also should be able to provide in-resident faculty, low-cost dormitory housing and dining facilities, large and small classroom spaces to accommodate both plenary and smaller breakout groups, and a library with Internet access and sufficient computers to allow students access to onsite educational materials. 4. Curriculum Design The NVAA curriculum is a 40-hour course with a text greater than 800 pages. Updated every 2 years, the text has been reviewed by California State University, Medical University of South Carolina, and Washburn University faculty and approved for academic credit through their criminology, psychology, and human services departments, respectively. The text covers 38 subject areas. Each chapter contains an abstract, learning objectives, and a self-examination. Chapters include research, statistical overviews, and summaries of relevant federal and state legislation. The text covers the historical background of each topic, including its evolution and current societal regard. The Instructor's Manual supports the text and includes sections outlining the nuts and bolts of NVAA participation and instruction, principles of adult learning, effective presentation techniques, and recommended training outlines for each chapter in the 2002 NVAA. The course format includes lectures, discussions, experiential exercises, working group assignments, and self- examinations for each subject area. Interactive exercises that help students apply this knowledge are considered essential by NVAA. The goal of this grant is to provide a comprehensive, basic knowledge base to victim assistance providers, victim advocates, and criminal justice personnel. OVC expects that the NVAA syllabus will provide the core of the state academy's curriculum, with each state adding state-specific information, elective courses, and interactive exercises as necessary. States receiving funding under this solicitation are encouraged to use a portion of the planning grant and Year 2 funding to develop state-specific content and interactive, skills-building exercises. 5. Student Selection In Year 1 of the grant, the steering committee should begin to formulate the student selection criteria, including a method for screening students, and finalize the process in Year 2. The Michigan Academy encouraged attendance by community "teams" of providers to help promote a coordinated community response to crime victimization. At the NVAA, a selection committee chooses students after reviewing students' applications and two letters of recommendation. Grantees are encouraged to emphasize student diversity based on geographic location, demographics, and professional agency affiliation in their selection criteria. 6. Staffing Issues The steering committee should address staffing, including the type and number of staff needed to plan, organize, and manage the state academy. In addition to choosing staff to direct the project and provide administrative support, the committee should address the selection of teaching faculty and the determination of which courses will be taught by college/university faculty and which will be presented by local agency and advocacy group representatives. OVC encourages a blend of practitioners and academicians. Finally, the committee must identify a method for assisting teaching faculty to develop presentations with an interactive format. The NVAA Ultimate Educator (training of trainers) course incorporates state-of-the-art adult learning principles into a universal training format that is available as a resource in this effort. 7. Financial Plan Another first year activity must include the development of a viable financial plan for the continued match of OVC federal funds in Years 2 and 3 and for continuation of the SVAA in Year 4 and beyond. Although VOCA funds cannot be used as a match for this grant, OVC has issued guidance to state VOCA administrators authorizing them to make available a percentage of their 1 percent training dollars and 5 percent administrative funds to supplement OVC funding for the development and implementation of state academies. Evaluation: The applicant must include a plan to perform a basic evaluation of the project, incorporating the performance measures identified below and other appropriate performance indicators. The applicant should follow the guidelines provided in the Plans for Measuring Progress and Outcomes section of the Program Narrative (see instructions in Section II of this kit). Performance Measures: To ensure compliance with the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), Public Law 103-62, this solicitation notifies applicants that they are required to collect and report data that measure the results of the programs implemented with this grant. To ensure accountability of this data, for which OJP is responsible, the following performance measures for the first year are provided: o Establishment of a diverse planning/steering committee. o Effective use of the planning/steering committee in the planning phase. o Completion of a training needs assessment. o Establishment of a level of partnership with the academic community. o Obtained commitment of support from the state Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Office for establishing a state academy. o Establishment of a viable planning process for implementation of the state academy. The grantee must document the accomplishment of these measures in the semiannual progress reports submitted to OVC. The progress reports must include information on all of the above performance measures. Eligibility Requirements: Only one application per state will be considered. Eligible applicants include public agencies, colleges and universities, state governments, and private nonprofit organizations. Applicants must demonstrate: o Commitment from the state VOCA victim assistance and compensation program offices to help develop the academy, including the provision of financial support after completion of the 3-year federal grant. o Commitment from an accredited college/university to host and promote the state academy; provide academic credit; accommodate and provide meals to students; provide classrooms and accommodate breakout sessions with rooms as necessary; and, with assistance from the steering committee, help oversee the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the project. o Commitment to meet with OVC, NVAA, and other SVAA grantees at the beginning of the grant period to share planning strategies and clarify implementation issues. o Commitment to meet with other SVAA grantees and OVC at the end of first year funding to share planning processes, lessons learned, goals, and support needed for future technical assistance responsibilities as well as second year implementation strategies. Application Due Date: Applications under this solicitation must be submitted to GMS by 8 p.m. EST on July 9, 2003. The GMS registration deadline for this solicitation is 8 p.m. EST on July 1, 2003. Contact Person: Laura Ivkovich, 202-616-3576 or e-mail laurai@ojp.usdoj.gov. ------------------------ Basic Victim Advocacy Web-Based Training Course (Cooperative Agreement) Award Amount: FY 2003: Up to $350,000 to support the development and beta testing of an online victim assistance training course curriculum for victim advocates. Additional funding is possible for FY 2004 ($250,000) and FY 2005 ($250,000) based on grantee performance and availability of funds. Award Period: 18 months. Goal: The goal is to provide victim assistance providers with the knowledge and skills to identify and effectively respond to the basic needs of all types of crime victims via an online Web course. Purpose: The purpose is to develop, beta test, and refine a basic or foundation- level, online victim assistance training course that is founded in the core competencies necessary for victim service providers to provide effective victim services. The online training will consist of the "how-to" of victim service/advocacy, the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary, including guidance for working within culturally diverse communities. The online training must be user-friendly; designed to increase skills, knowledge, and abilities; and accessible to all practitioners in the field. The training must offer a certificate of completion. Background: OVC funds a number of training initiatives for victim service providers and allied professionals. These efforts are intended to complement training offered by state agencies, statewide victim coalitions, and national victim organizations. While efforts such as the OVC National Victim Assistance Academy, State Victim Assistance Academies, and training delivered via OVC TTAC and other discretionary grant projects reach a large segment of victim service providers and allied professionals, scores of providers do not have access to OVC and other training offerings. In addition, budgetary and time constraints prevent many people from taking advantage of these opportunities. OVC's goal is to seed the development of State Victim Assistance Academies in every state, but until such time as every state has a training academy for victim service providers, there is a need for an alternative, affordable, user- friendly source of victim advocacy and services training for community- and system-based providers to take at their convenience. OVC has allocated funding to develop accessible, online training that can help sharpen communication skills, expand knowledge, and improve the delivery of essential victim assistance services to crime victims. Program Strategy: OVC will provide funding to support the development and testing of skills-based victim services training to improve the effectiveness of direct service providers who assist victims by providing crisis intervention, criminal justice advocacy, counseling, and temporary housing as well as a host of other critical victim assistance services to support crime victims in their time of need. The training will be focused on the "how-to" of victim services and advocacy, including guidance on working within culturally diverse communities. The use of an advisory group to review and provide input on the training course developed under this OVC project is desirable. The grantee will be required to coordinate with OJP's OCIO to ensure that the technology employed in the development of the online training is compatible with DOJ's enterprise architecture. The project strategy must clearly demonstrate the involvement of subject matter experts in victimization issues. The project must retain the services of an expert in curriculum analysis, design, development, and evaluation at the beginning of the project, including specific expertise in Web- based curricula. If the curriculum design expert is an employee of the applicant organization, the application must describe the experience and expertise of the employee in the areas of curriculum analysis, design, development, and evaluation, including Web-based curricula. If the services of a curriculum design expert will be contracted, the project strategy must address the qualifications of the curriculum design expert and include a corresponding line item in the proposed project budget sufficient to cover the comprehensive services of the curriculum design expert. Project tasks, at a minimum, should include the following: o Review current literature and existing curricula to identify training materials and resources that can complement or support the development of the proposed curriculum. o Conduct a comprehensive training analysis to develop training objectives and content, ensure the quality of the evidence-based foundation of the curriculum, determine the most appropriate methods of online training, ensure the learning is transferred to the work setting, and identify evaluation criteria. o Develop a detailed time-task line with steps for program development, implementation, evaluation, and staff responsibility for task implementation. o Develop an online curriculum that incorporates accepted adult learning principles and meets generally accepted standards of online Web design and curriculum. o Pilot test the curriculum. o Revise the curriculum based on results of the pilot testing by the grantee and a peer review conducted by OVC. o Evaluate the training course and demonstrate, at a minimum, the short-term impact on the participants' ability to identify and respond to victims' needs. o Provide a marketing plan for the curriculum's use of training. o Produce a short, 1 to 2 page report that OVC can disseminate as an OVC fact sheet on the existence of the curriculum and availability of this training to victim service providers through OVC TTAC. Evaluation: The applicant must include a plan to perform a basic evaluation of the project, incorporating the performance measures identified below and other appropriate performance indicators. The applicant should follow the guidelines provided in the Plans for Measuring Progress and Outcomes section of the Program Narrative (see instructions in Section II of this kit). Performance Measures: To ensure compliance with the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), Public Law 103-62, this solicitation notifies applicants that they are required to collect and report data that measure the results of the programs implemented with this grant. To ensure accountability of this data, for which OJP is responsible, the following performance measures for this project are provided: o Completion of an analysis that measures the demand or intent to use the training by the field. o Completion of a review of current literature and existing curricula on the knowledge, skills, and abilities of victim service providers from system- and community-based programs and their responses to crime victims. o Completion of a functional analysis of victim service providers' duties based on core competencies and provider standards for effective services. o Completion of a detailed training analysis as the first step in curriculum design and development. o Development of an online training curriculum and delivery of a beta test of the curriculum. o Revision of the developed curriculum based on pilot training feedback. o Development of a participant training evaluation form, copies of completed forms, and analysis of training evaluations. o Analysis of user activity on the site including the number of students (victim service providers) trained through the successful completion of the course. o Number of students (service providers and advocates) who indicate improved understanding of a particular issue. o The percentage of service providers who report improved victim service skills and practice changes as a result of successfully completing the course. The grantee must document the accomplishment of these measures in the semiannual progress reports submitted to OVC. The progress reports must include information on all of the above performance measures. Eligibility Requirements: Applications will be accepted from public agencies, including units of state, local, and tribal governments and colleges and universities, and private, nonprofit organizations, including faith-based organizations. Eligible applicants must demonstrate a general knowledge of victimization issues, as well as specific knowledge and expertise in the development and offering of online training in the victim services field. Applicants must also demonstrate their organizational capability to successfully complete all phases of this project. Application Due Date: Applications under this solicitation must be submitted to GMS by 8 p.m. EST on July 9, 2003. The GMS registration deadline for this solicitation is 8 p.m. EST on July 1, 2003. Contact Person: Laura Ivkovich, 202-616-3576 or e-mail laurai@ojp.usdoj.gov. ------------------------ National Youth Education Project (New Competitive) Award Amount: $300,000 in FY 2003, with additional funding possible in FY 2004. Award Period: 12 months. Goal: The goal is to educate adolescents on the dynamics of victimization and provide them with information on where they can turn for help and support. Purpose: The purpose is to develop an education and awareness initiative focused on reaching youth through school- and community-based organizations. Background: Violence and victimization affect all segments of our society, including adolescents. However, unless their lives have been directly affected by crime, most people are not aware of the impact of violent crime or the availability of services and support to assist crime victims. Currently, OVC funds several national-scope public awareness and education initiatives, but none is focused specifically on adolescents, an age group that is at risk from several forms of violence, including child abuse, dating violence, sexual victimization, school bullying, and gang-related violence. Recent research also indicates the long-lasting impact on children and adolescents of witnessing violence. These children are at a higher risk for developing behavioral problems, such as chronic delinquency, and academic failure. They are more likely to become involved in adult criminal behavior and drug-related offenses later in life than children who have grown up in peaceful, nonviolent surroundings. Youth organizations, especially those in school settings, can play a central role in educating adolescents on the dynamics of victimization by providing them with information on where they can turn for help and support. Program Strategy: OVC will competitively award funding to a national-scope youth organization to work with 20 schools and community-based youth organizations that have been competitively selected by the grantee in close coordination with OVC and OJJDP. The selected organization will provide the youth with funding and technical assistance to develop victimization awareness initiatives in the school and/or community. The educational initiatives must focus on the types of violence and victimization for which adolescents are at risk of experiencing or witnessing. Development and management of this educational initiative should be conducted by school youth groups and community youth agencies with the support of responsible adults. The selected schools/community organizations must reflect broad diversity, including geographic diversity. Themes, products, and accomplishments that result from this project will be highlighted in future National Crime Victims' Rights Week activities sponsored by OVC in Washington, D.C. as well as other national and statewide events focused on youth safety issues and crime victimization. The grantee will work with OVC to identify appropriate venues, such as a public exhibition in the Nation's Capitol. Applicants must describe how youth organizations will be identified for purposes of the competitive solicitation, how funds will be disbursed, and the approach to be used in delivering technical assistance once sites are selected. Evaluation: The applicant must include a plan to perform a basic evaluation of the project, incorporating the performance measures identified below and other appropriate performance indicators. The applicant should follow the guidelines provided in the Plans for Measuring Progress and Outcomes section of the Program Narrative (see instructions in Section II of this kit). Performance Measures: To ensure compliance with the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), Public Law 103-62, this solicitation notifies applicants that they are required to collect and report data that measure the results of the programs implemented with this grant. To ensure accountability of this data, for which OJP is responsible, the following performance measures for this project will be monitored: o The number of sites receiving funding support and technical assistance. o The number of initiatives successfully developed and advertised. o The number of youth involved in initiatives. The grantee must document the accomplishment of these measures in the semiannual progress reports submitted to OVC. The progress reports must include information on all of the above performance measures. Eligibility Requirements: Applicants are invited from public agencies and private, nonprofit organizations. The applicant must have knowledge of the impact of violence on adolescents, an understanding of the cycle of violence, experience working with schools and community-based youth organizations, and must demonstrate management experience in overseeing a national-scope public education and awareness initiative involving youth. Application Due Date: Applications under this solicitation must be submitted to GMS by 8 p.m. EST on July 9, 2003. The GMS registration deadline for this solicitation is 8 p.m. EST on July 1, 2003. Contact Person: Joye Whatley, 202-305-1715 or e-mail whatleyj@ojp.usdoj.gov. ---------------------------- Section II. Application Guidelines and Instructions How To Apply OJP requires that funding applications be submitted through the OJP Grants Management System (GMS). Access through the Internet to this online application system will expedite and streamline the receipt, review, and processing of requests for funding. Applications will only be accepted through the GMS online application system. To learn how to begin the online application process, please see the Quick Start Guide to Using OJP's Online GMS. A toll-free telephone number (1-888-549-9901) has been established to provide applicants with technical assistance as they work through the online application process. ------------------------ Application Review Checklist All applications must be submitted electronically through OJP's GMS, which can be accessed at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/fundopps.htm. Please use this checklist to make sure your application is complete. Your GMS application must include: Online Forms ___Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424). This form is generated by completing the Overview, Applicant Information, and Project Information screens in GMS. ___Assurances and Certifications. The Assurances and Certifications must be reviewed and accepted electronically by the authorizing official or the designated authorizing official. Attachments (3) ___Budget Detail Worksheet (Attachment #1). The Budget Detail Worksheet must present a detailed budget that itemizes all proposed costs and must include a budget narrative that provides justification for all proposed costs. ___Program Narrative (Attachment #2). The Program Narrative must include: o ___Project Abstract o ___Problem Statement o ___Project Goals and Objectives o ___Project Design/Implementation Plan o ___Organizational Capability and Project Management o ___Plans for Measuring Progress and Outcomes ___Other Program Attachments (Attachment #3). The Other Program Attachments must include the following elements. Note: All of the below materials must be attached in one (1) file. o ___Resumes of key personnel/position descriptions (required) o ___Letters of support (where appropriate) o ___Memoranda of understanding (where appropriate) o ___Names and affiliations of the author(s) of the application proposal should be clearly identified (required) Please refer to corresponding sections in this announcement to determine the specific contents of each of these attachments. ------------------------ Quick Start Guide to Using OJP's Online Grants Management System Step 1. Using an established Internet account, go to www.ojp.usdoj.gov/fundopps.htm. An online Applicant Procedures handbook is available on this page and applicants may link directly to OJP's Grants Management System (GMS), which provides online help screens. Note: Applicants without an Internet account should call the GMS Hotline at 1-888-549-9901 for assistance. Step 2. Click on "Logon to the Grants Management System (GMS)." Step 3. Follow the onscreen instructions. First-time GMS users should click on "New User? Register Here." Applicants who already have a GMS password should click on "GMS Sign-In." Proceed to the FY 2003 Competitive Discretionary Grant Program Solicitations and Application Guidelines and begin working on it. Applicants will receive e-mail confirmation from OVC that they are eligible to submit an application within 7 days. Plan ahead. Applicants can register at any time and are encouraged to do so as soon as possible. Applicants must create a separate GMS account for each application to be submitted. Please note: Applicants must ensure that the information for the authorizing official and alternate contact is entered correctly. The authorizing official is the individual authorized to accept grant funds in your organization. If the individual applying online is not the signing authority, that individual must list the authorizing official's name and contact information where appropriate. Questions or problems: Applicants who have questions should refer to the online handbook or access applicable help screens. If the questions cannot be addressed by accessing the online GMS reference tools, call the GMS Hotline at 1-888-549-9901. Previous users should contact the GMS Hotline if they are having difficulty with their user ID and password. Step 4. Complete the online Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) by providing the required information in the Overview, Applicant Information, and Project Information screens. Step 5. Complete the application by electronically "accepting" the Assurances and Certifications and submitting the three required file attachments: Budget Detail Worksheet, Program Narrative, and Other Program Attachments. (See the Application Review Checklist and the Application Requirements for detailed instructions about the information to include in each attachment). Please note that applicants must upload one file per attachment; only the most current file uploaded to the appropriate attachment will be saved as part of the application. All sections of each attachment must be completed for your application to be considered for funding. Submit your completed application online. The GMS system will notify the applicant that the application has been received and sent to OVC and provide an application identification number for future reference. Applicants who have questions about GMS or need technical assistance with applying online should contact the GMS Hotline at 1-888-549-9901, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. (except federal holidays). ------------------------ Application Requirements Applicants for the FY 2003 Office for Victims of Crime Discretionary Grant Program must submit the following information online through the Office of Justice Programs' (OJP's) Grants Management System (GMS): 1. Application for Federal Assistance, Standard Form 424. 2. Assurances and Certifications. 3. Program Attachments: o Attachment #1: Budget Detail Worksheet (including budget worksheet and budget narrative). o Attachment #2: Program Narrative (including project abstract, problem statement, project goals and objectives, project design/implementation plan, project management and organizational capability statement, and plans for measuring progress and outcomes). o Attachment #3: Other Program Attachments (including resumes of key personnel, position descriptions, letters of support, memoranda of understanding, information about the author of the proposal, and other attachments as needed). Detailed instructions about and descriptions of each required element are provided below. An Application Review Checklist has been provided for your convenience. Note: Applications that do not include all required elements will not be considered for funding. ------------------------ Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) The Application for Federal Assistance is a standard form used by most federal agencies. It contains 18 items that must be completed online in the Overview, Applicant Information, and Project Information sections of OJP's GMS. ------------------------ Assurances and Certifications Applicants are required to review and accept the Assurances and Certifications. Please verify that the name, address, phone number, fax number, and e-mail address of the authorizing official have been entered correctly on these online forms. o Assurances. The applicant must comply with assurances to receive federal funds under this program. It is the responsibility of the recipient of the federal funds to fully understand and comply with these requirements. Failure to comply may result in the withholding of funds, termination of the award, or other sanctions. o Certifications Regarding Lobbying, Debarment, Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters, and the Drug-Free Workplace Requirement. Applicants are required to review and check off the box on the certification form included in the online application process. This form commits the applicant to comply with the certification requirements under 28 CFR Part 69, "New Restrictions on Lobbying," and 28 CFR Part 67, "A Government-Wide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) and Government-Wide Requirements for Drug- Free Workplace (Grants)." The authorizing official must review the Assurances and Certifications forms in their entirety. To accept the Assurances and Certifications in GMS, click on the Assurances and Certifications link and click the "Accept" button at the bottom of the screen. ------------------------ Budget Detail Worksheet (Attachment #1) The applicant must provide a detailed budget that: (1) is complete, allowable, cost-effective in relation to the proposed activities, and accurately reflects how grant funds will be used to accomplish the goals and objectives of the proposal; (2) shows the cost calculations demonstrating how the applicant arrived at the total amount requested; and (3) provides a supporting budget narrative to link costs with project implementation (see below for more about the budget narrative). These federal grant funds must not be used to supplant state or local funds. The federal funds must be used to supplement existing funds for program activities and not to replace funds already appropriated for the same purpose. Applicants must submit both a budget worksheet and a budget narrative in one file. The worksheet provides the detailed computations for each budget item, and the narrative justifies or explains each budget item and relates it to project activities. o Budget Worksheet. The budget worksheet must list the cost of each budget item and show how the costs were calculated. For example, costs for personnel should show the annual salary rate and the percentage of time devoted to the project for each employee to be paid through grant funds. The budget worksheet should present a complete and detailed itemization of all proposed costs. o Budget Narrative. The budget narrative should closely follow the content of the budget worksheet and provide justification for all proposed costs. For example, the narrative should explain how fringe benefits were calculated, how travel costs were estimated, why particular items of equipment or supplies must be purchased, and how overhead or indirect costs were calculated. The budget narrative should justify the specific items listed in the budget worksheet (particularly supplies, travel, and equipment) and demonstrate that all costs are reasonable. Applicants may refer to the sample Budget Detail Worksheet form at OVC's Web site (www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/fund/forms.htm#1) and use it as a guide in preparing the budget worksheet and budget narrative. OJP's Financial Guide, containing information on allowable costs, methods of payment, audit requirements, accounting systems, and financial records, is also available on OJP's Web site (www.ojp.usdoj.gov/oc). This document will govern the administration of funds by all successful applicants and their contractors. A financial or in-kind match for 25 percent of the total federal grant each year is required only for the State Victim Assistance Academy Initiative. An in-kind match can be in the form of staff time, facilities, office space and utilities, employee details/loans, and agency partnerships. All in-kind or hard match must be shown on the detail worksheet and described in the budget narrative. Applicants should plan to attend an annual OVC discretionary grantee meeting in Washington, D.C., and with the exception of local grantees, budget this at an annual cost of $1,200. Applicants that receive annual funding of more than $100,000 should also budget costs to attend one Financial Management Training Seminar sponsored by OJP's Office of the Comptroller (OC). Specific information (such as dates and locations of upcoming OC events) can be found at www.ncja.org/Seminars/2003_FMS_Seminars/invite.htm. Note: Total costs specified in the Budget Detail Worksheet must match the total amount requested on the SF 424. ------------------------ Program Narrative (Attachment #2) The program narrative should not exceed 25 doubled-spaced pages in 12-point font with 1-inch margins and must include 6 separate sections: Project Abstract, Problem Statement, Project Goals and Objectives, Project Design/Implementation Plan, Organizational Capability and Project Management, and Plans for Measuring Progress and Outcomes. Each section is described below. ------------------------ 2a. Project Abstract: The application should include a 1-page summary that describes the purpose of the project, goals and objectives, activities that will be implemented to achieve the project's goals and objectives, methods, and outcomes. ------------------------ 2b. Problem Statement: The problem statement must describe the need for the project and provide a clear statement of how the proposed project will be of value to the victims' field by meeting a stated goal. Applicants should address the goal(s) stated in the specific solicitation. ------------------------ 2c. Project Goals and Objectives: The applicant must specify the goals and objectives of the project. The objectives should be measurable and relate directly to the issues described in the problem statement. The goals should state the overall purpose of what is to be accomplished. The objectives should describe the steps necessary to reach the goals or how the goals will be accomplished. ------------------------ 2d. Project Design/Implementation Plan: The project design and implementation plan must describe the project strategy and discuss how the strategy will address the identified problems and support the goals and objectives. The applicant's strategy or design must include a description of project phases, tasks, activities, staff responsibilities, and clear descriptions of interim deliverables and final products. It must include a time-task plan that clearly identifies objectives, major activities, and products. The time-task plan presented in chart form will not be included as part of the 25-page narrative limitation. The applicant must describe o The strategy, tasks, and time-task plan for developing the services and products. Applicants must develop a time-task plan that clearly identifies major activities and products for the duration of the project period. This plan must include the designation of organizational responsibility, a schedule for the completion of the activities, and the submission of finished products. In preparing the time-task plan, the Gant chart, or schedule, applicants should make certain that all project activities will occur within the proposed project period. Applicants should keep in mind the OVC requirement that final drafts of all publications, including videos, are to be submitted 120 days prior to the end of the grant period. In most instances, the draft publication will undergo an external review by subject matter experts retained by OVC to provide written comments on the publication's accuracy, relevance, and readability, and to provide suggestions to enhance the publication. In all instances, the publication will be reviewed internally by OVC and other DOJ agencies. The plan also must provide for the submission of financial and progress reports. All recipients are required to submit semiannual progress reports and quarterly financial reports. Refer to the current edition of OVC's Publishing Guidelines Handbook online at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/publications/infores/pubguidehndbk/welcome.html for further guidance on the publication process. o The project's intended services and deliverables or products, such as training and technical assistance, training curricula, promising practices compendia, symposia, and videotapes. o Coordination of the project with other organizations, including victim services, criminal and juvenile justice systems, and any joint or cooperative efforts. o Any unusual features of the project such as design; technological innovations; reductions in cost or time; and extraordinary community, volunteer, or private sector involvement. o Procedures for testing and evaluating the service or product or its method for obtaining feedback about its worth to the field. o How the project collected data to report performance measures established in the specific solicitation. o The dissemination plan for the product or services. Applicants should provide recommendations for dissemination of any products. If those recommendations include nontraditional groups, such as organizations or agencies not likely to be included in a victim assistance or criminal justice mailing list, then applicants should be prepared to provide specific names and contact information. In most instances, publications that have been reviewed, revised by the grantee, and subsequently approved for publication by OVC will be printed by OVC and disseminated through the OVC Resource Center at the expense of OVC. Most publications also will be uploaded to the OVC Web page. ------------------------ 2e. Organizational Capability and Project Management: Applications must include a clear description of the applicant's management structure and previous experience with similar or related efforts. Applicants must include a description of the proposed professional staff members' unique qualifications that will enable them to fulfill their grant responsibilities. Applicants must describe how the program will be managed and include an organizational chart or information describing the roles and responsibilities of key organizational and functional components and personnel. Applicants must also include a list of personnel responsible for managing and implementing the major stages of the project. If additional staff will be hired to complete the project, the applicant should identify the selection criteria. Applicants should also provide detailed information about staff who have committed to work on the project contingent upon receipt of funding. The proposed project director must have both the substantive expertise and experience to perform crucial leadership functions and sufficient time to devote to the project to provide the needed guidance and supervision. Job descriptions and copies of resumes for the proposed key staff positions should be included in attachment #3. ------------------------ 2f. Plans for Measuring Progress and Outcomes: Evaluation is critical to ensure that each OVC project is operating as designed and achieving its goals and objectives. Accordingly, each application must provide a plan for assessing the project's effectiveness and evaluating the accomplishment of project goals and objectives. Applicants should identify challenging, but achievable, outcomes in their proposals and describe how they plan to assess performance in attaining the identified outcomes. To develop such a plan, goals and objectives must be clearly stated, links established between program activities and objectives, and performance measures identified. Performance measures will address a mix of immediate and intermediate outcomes and, as appropriate and feasible, information on long-term impact. The evaluation plan should identify all resources that will be devoted to conducting the assessment including identification of staff members and staff time, use of outside consultants to assist with the assessment, and any other support costs associated with conducting an evaluation. Assessment information will be submitted as part of the semiannual progress report, as well as part of the final report due within 120 days of project completion. OVC is required to report its programmatic results annually, in accordance with the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA). OVC summarizes the individual results and outcomes of all discretionary grant programs, indicating whether the programs are successfully meeting their objectives. OVC depends on its grantees to provide accurate, timely, and relevant information on grant progress and impact. Increasingly, these findings will provide justification for continuing OVC's discretionary grant program. ------------------------ Other Program Attachments (Attachment #3) The Other Program Attachments file must include the following materials: o Resumes of key personnel must be provided. For positions that are vacant, provide job descriptions outlining roles and responsibilities and provide the selection criteria for the proposed new positions. o Letters of support and/or memoranda of understanding (MOU) should be provided from agencies and organizations whose support and collaboration is integral to the successful implementation of the project. o Statement of authorship must be included that clearly identifies the author(s) of the proposal and their professional affiliations. o Other attachments as needed. ------------------------ Selection Procedure: OVC staff will review applications for completeness and responsiveness to the individual solicitations. Responsive applications will be forwarded to peer review panels comprised of individuals with expertise in the respective topic areas, including curriculum design and information technology, as appropriate. Applications will be rated using specific selection criteria and review panels will forward their recommendations for awards to OVC's Director. Final selection will be based on peer review results and other considerations. Before making final selections for funding specific applicants, OVC's Director and OJP's Assistant Attorney General will consider information about the performance of the applicants on previous grants awarded by OVC, OJP, or other federal agencies. Emphasis will be placed on the delivery of complete, responsive products that produced tangible benefits. Applicants who failed to meet grant deadlines, did not comply with OJP financial requirements, or did not adjust to difficulties by setting revised time- task lines will not be considered favorably for funding. OJP's Assistant Attorney General has the ultimate authority to select applications for funding. ------------------------ Selection Criteria: Applications for each solicitation in Section I will be evaluated and rated based on the extent to which the program meets the selection criteria listed below. o Problem(s) To Be Addressed and Goals and Objectives. The problem statement must provide a strong rationale for the project and clearly describe how the proposed project will be of value to the victims' field by meeting a stated goal. The goals and objectives must be clearly specified and related directly to the problem statement. The goal(s) should state the overall purpose of what is to be accomplished. The objectives should describe the steps necessary to accomplish the goal(s). o Project Design/Implementation Plan. The program strategy/methodology must include sufficient detail so that the reader can understand what will be accomplished, how it will be accomplished, and who will accomplish it. All proposed tasks should be presented in a way that allows a reviewer to see the logical progression of tasks and to be able to relate the tasks directly to the accomplishment of the project goals(s) and objectives. Projected activities should be realistic and reflect the project's allocated time, staff, and funding. A clear picture of the contents or components of the product or training is important as well as a detailed plan for packaging and disseminating the product to user groups. In the past, reviewers have given higher scores to applications that describe how they will introduce the products to the field and encourage the use of their products rather than to applications without this information. Detailed procedures for pilot testing and refining the products have also resulted in more competitive applications. The project design must support the purpose and goals of the grant program. o Organizational Capability. Applicants must demonstrate how their resources, capabilities, and experience will enable them to achieve the goals and objectives. The applicant must document its capability to undertake and complete a national-scope, federally funded project, including evidence that the applicant possesses the requisite staff and expertise. Organizational capability will be assessed on the basis of (1) the applicant's described management structure, previous experience with similar or related efforts, and financial capability; and (2) the applicant's project management plan and documentation of the professional staff members' unique qualifications to perform their assigned tasks. Applicants must clearly establish that their experience and resources enable them to achieve the goals and objectives of the grant for which they are applying. o Plans for Measuring Progress and Outcomes. Applicants must describe their plan for measuring project progress and success. All applications must contain a plan for evaluating the accomplishment of project goal(s) and objectives. Applicants must describe how the evaluation data will be gathered and analyzed and the resources that are being committed for this purpose. In determining the quality of the evaluation plan, the following factors will be considered --Extent to which the evaluation plan provides detailed information for increasing the effectiveness of the management and administration of the project, documents that objectives have been met, and determines the overall effectiveness of the project. --Extent to which the proposed methods of evaluation are thorough, feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the proposed project. --Adequacy of the identified performance measures to demonstrate whether, and to what extent, the proposed strategy is meeting its short-term, intermediate, and long-term objectives. o Budget and Budget Narrative. Reviewers will examine the identified project tasks, milestones, and assignment of staff resources within the framework of the proposed budget. The applicant must demonstrate that there is sufficient staff and time to accomplish the proposed tasks in a cost-effective manner. Applicants must show cost effective and efficient use of grant resources, demonstrating that all grant-related expenses are necessary for project completion. Tasks and activities described in the narrative should parallel the budget. All identified costs should accurately reflect the tasks, staff time, supplies, and travel necessary to accomplish the grant-related work, if applicable. ------------------------ Reporting Requirements Reports o The Financial Status Report (SF 269-A) is due quarterly, no later than the 45th day following the end of each calendar quarter. A report must be submitted every quarter in which the award is active, even if there has been no financial activity during the reporting period. The final report is due 120 days after the end date of the award. Future awards and fund drawdowns will be withheld if the financial status reports are delinquent. o The Single Audit Report is an organization-wide financial and compliance audit report that must be filed by recipients who expend $300,000 or more of federal funds during their fiscal year. The audit must be performed in accordance with the U.S. General Accounting Office Government Auditing Standards. o The Semiannual Progress Report must be submitted by funding recipients. The progress report describes activities during the reporting period and the status or accomplishment of objectives as set forth in the approved application for funding. Progress reports must be submitted within 30 days after the end of the reporting periods, which are January 1 through June 30 and July 1 through December 31 for the life of the award. Due 120 days after the end date of the award, the final report summarizes the progress toward achieving the award's goals and objectives, describes the significant results, and identifies any products developed under the award. Report format will be provided to the recipient by OJP. Future awards and fund drawdowns may be withheld if the progress reports are delinquent. ------------------------ Grants Versus Cooperative Agreements For the purposes of these solicitations, OVC has chosen to award cooperative agreements instead of grants. Cooperative agreements are used when substantial collaboration is anticipated between OVC and the award recipient during performance of the proposed activities. Responsibility for general oversight and redirection of the project, if necessary, rests with OVC. OVC will review and approve all activities in the requirements under the various stages, as enumerated in the solicitation. This includes review and approval in a timely manner of all key personnel selections, consultants, assessments, plans, instruments, manuals, and documents developed or identified for use during the project, with suggestions for modifications. Responsibility for the coordination of topics addressed or services rendered will be shared by OVC and the recipient. Where appropriate, the recipient will act jointly with OVC to determine modifications to the program plan or budget, and design data collection instruments. In executing this responsibility, OVC requires that its program specialist meet periodically with the recipient (as determined by OVC) throughout the life of the project to discuss project activities, plans, problems, and solutions. Responsibility for the day-to-day conduct of the project rests with the recipient. This specifically includes operations, data collection, analysis, and interpretation.